Elite Protection
by DragonRose888
Summary: After finding he was pregnant, Ash ran from Gary, his lover, and sought out the Elite Four of Indigo, who took him in until he was ready to give birth to his baby. But then, Gary shows up again, and Lance has just claimed Ash for his own...ShiShi mpreg
1. Falling to Pieces

**Wonnykins: Here's yet another story from Wonnykins Productions! Enjoy the m-preg and yaoi and pallet shipping and LancexAsh shipping!**

**Disclaimer: I own a new set of artistic markers! Not Pokemon or any of its characters!**

**Warning: This will turn out to be Pallet shipping (ShiShi Shipping, AshxGary, SatoShige, SaatoshixShigeru), but in later chapters, it will be LancexAsh, (can't think of ship name. Enlighten me, people!), but you know it'll end with ShiShi! So don't be discouraged.**

Elite Protection

A Wonnykins Production

The fight began on a Saturday.

It had been a good morning, which was more then Ash could've asked for. He wasn't as sick as he had been, lately, and that was always a plus. That, and Gary was being neutral today.

So far.

Being lovers at first had seemed like a great idea. They had been very much in love at fifteen years old.

But, now?

Two words: Love. Stinks.

Oh, sure, Ash still loved Gary very much, but the problem wasn't on his end. It didn't seem Gary cared at all for the dark-haired teenager, anymore. All he did nowadays was leave Ash alone in the house they shared. The one they said they'd stay together forever in. It sounded like cheesy romance, then, and now it sounded like a long broken promise; a reminder of better days.

Like falling in love, and spending nights chasing each other around in secret.

Now, of course, those days were few and far between. Ash was lucky if he got a genuine smile from the older boy.

Although, you couldn't really call him a boy, anymore. Gary's nineteenth birthday had passed, just recently. That, as expected, just ended in disaster. Ash didn't even bring up the details with himself, it had been that bad.

Ash Ketchem himself was eighteen. His nineteenth wasn't due until half a year later. In a way, he looked up to his older lover. Despite the way the two were falling through, Ash still clung on as much as he could. Gary was the only one he'd ever felt so in love with. His mother had told him, when he had voiced his appreciation for the auburn-haired boy to her, that love like that was once in a lifetime. Well, for Gary, anything between them was 'eh', but for Ash, losing this relationship would be a devastating blow. So, he tried as much as possible to patch things up.

This led to even more problems, because either Gary didn't care, or he didn't like it. Either way, it depressed the younger of the two. No matter how Ash looked at it, he and Gary were falling to pieces, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Today, as said, was a bit better then most days, when it started.

After arriving home sloshed and giggling, Gary had had to be carried to the bedroom, which was a feat all on it's own, considering how much muscle was on his frame, now. He slept, for a while, while Ash tried to get things set up for when Gary awoke. Around the time he stepped into the shower is when Gary woke up, and he wandered right into the bathroom, still drunk as a lord. Now, sex is good. Sex is even better when you haven't had it in a while. But when your significant other is so tipsy that he can't even remember fighting with you and that he thinks you're some chick he got a lap-dance from in a club, then that dims the effect. Not only that, but being rough doesn't help.

So, as it was, Ash woke up in the shower, water long since turned off, body bone-dry and chilled. He growled, getting to his feet and slipping on his robe, pausing on his way into the bedroom to eye the terrible looking bruise on his neck. It was bigger then a football. Ash sighed, trying to cover the embarrassing mark with the collar of the robe.

After dressing lightly, but warmly, the teen climbed downstairs, hearing Gary in the kitchen. Pikachu, Ash's trusty first Pokemon, was chewing on a carrot in the hallway, and she chirped happily to see her master awake. Ash smiled down at her, scooping her into his arms. She was really the only sunshine he had, right now. That and Umbreon. The two Pokemon seemed to sympathize with Ash, agreeing that Gary had no right to treat him the way he did.

The mouse Pokemon pointed to Ash's neck, chattering about the mark. Ash blushed.

"No, it doesn't hurt." He said, softly. He made his way into the kitchen.

Sure enough, Gary was awake. He wasn't eating; oh, how silly of him, that was Ash's job, wasn't it?

"Good morning." Said dark-haired boy murmured. He leaned down, placing a kiss on Gary's temple. "Feel any better?"

Gary snorted. "Now that's a stupid question." He muttered, "I've got a hangover the size of Fuji. Do I feel any better...Hmph." He settled back into his chair, "If you don't mind, I'm starved."

The younger wilted. "...Of course." Ash started getting out the breakfast stuffs, knowing that he should feel grateful: Gary usually cursed.

'Still, though...' The dark-haired boy though to himself, 'It used to be better...'

Breakfast went all right. Gary, surprisingly, didn't have any complaints about what Ash fixed, and even said it was good. He asked how Ash had been feeling, since he had been throwing up for a couple months, now. Ash said he was fine, but it still worried him that Gary was acting so nice.

Afterwards, Ash cleaned up the kitchen and went to go have another shower; he hated being sticky.

Gary had watched his every move carefully. When Ash went upstairs, Gary followed.

Ash paid no attention when Gary walked in on him undressing. However, Gary put his arms around Ash's neck, and leaned on him, which was something Gary didn't do very often, nowadays. Ash finally blurted "What's up?"

Gary sighed. "I can't hug you?"

"You never hug me anymore. You throw me down and fuck me." The younger replied bitterly.

Gary nuzzled his nose into the boy's neck, where the bruise had formed. "Which do you like better?"

"...This...You haven't...hugged me in a while..." Ash whispered. He knew this had to be a dream. Unnoticed, he pinched his arm. 'Ow.' Nope, he was awake. But how was this possible?

Gary pressed a kiss to Ash's cheek. "I know." And then he said, remorsefully, "And I'm sorry."

He turned the younger of the two around, leaning down and kissing him. The dark-haired boy grew teary eyed. He hadn't felt so loved in so long...

"I heard you and Brock were out, last night."

Well, that was unexpected.

"Yeah, we were." Ash said, slowly.

Gary continued to kiss the boy. "Where were you two?"

"Oh!" Ash smiled, "We went to go pick up his Vulpix! She hasn't been feeling good. You'll never guess what was wrong with her."

"What?"

"She's having kits!"

Gary turned the boy to face him. "That's nice. What else did you two do?" He asked, more kisses ending up on Ash's cheeks, mouth, and nose.

"...Well...it was around dinner time...so..." Ash screwed up his face, trying to remember, "...we...OH! I know! We went to that cool little Chinese restaurant a few blocks from Brock's house, since he didn't feel like cooking."

"I see. And then you came right back here, right?"

Ash frowned. "No. We stopped at his house for a minute. He said something about something he wanted to do..."

At once, Gary's face changed from caring to poisonous. He glared coldly at the boy. "And, what, exactly, were you two doing there, ALONE?" He hissed.

Ash gulped. "W-what do you mean? We weren't-!"

"Liar!" Gary accused, "If you think you could get away with cheating on ME, then you're dead wrong!"

"Cheating?! What the hell!" The dark-haired boy cried, confused, "Who said anything about cheating!"

Gary backhanded him. Hard.

Stars erupted in front of Ash's eyes. The back of his head was pounding, and he found himself on the floor. He fingered the bruise that was appearing on his cheek, then stared, terrified, up at Gary, who was glaring coldly at him. The auburn-haired man bent down, grabbing Ash by the collar of his shirt.

Yanking the frightened teenager towards him, he hissed, "Did you like him? Was he a good fuck?"

Ash didn't even struggle, he was so afraid. "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about! Honest!" He stuttered. Gary just smacked his other cheek.

"Do you expect me to believe you?"

"Gary, Brock is straight!"

Silence. Ash could feel a warm sensation oozing down the back of his head, and realized he was bleeding from where he had hit the edge of the bathtub. Gary had grown very blank, all of a sudden. Fearing Gary was going to hurt him again, Ash began pleading again.

"He wanted me to meet his girlfriend. And he had some special treats f-for Umbreon and Pikachu..." He explained.

Gary said nothing. He looked at his own hand, then his eyes traveled up to look at the twin bruises on Ash's face. His other hand reached up, causing Ash to flinch, and Gary stared guiltily at the bruise he finger tips brushed. Abruptly, he got to his feet, pulling Ash up with him.

They stood there in deathly silence, Gary looking at his hands, which were placed on the edge of the sink, and Ash looking in the mirror, searching though his hair for the blood.

Gary finally turned to Ash, walking over and fingering the boy's hair delicately. He stared at the tiny trickle of blood running through the roots.

"...You need to see a doctor about that..." He said, hoarsely, "You might need stitches." He absentmindedly grabbed a towel off the shower rack, pressing it gently to the wound on the back of Ash's head. "...I...I'm so sorry..." He said, shakily, "...I shouldn't have...acted that way..."

Ash didn't say anything. In truth, he had not been expecting the violence at all. He was too shocked by it to be angry. Although, he would have been more scared then mad. With the sinking realization that the time in the relationship was the near-end, Ash began to cry.


	2. Expecting and Broken

**Wonnykins: Ha, sorry this took so very long to update. I've been having a bit of a rough spot in my life. ; But here's the next chapter in 'Elite Protection'. It's quite angsty, I'm afraid. For all you mpreg fans, this is your chapter! Smell ya!**

**Disclaimer: I own not the goodness of Pokemon, nor any of it's ill-fated characters, though I sish such a thing were so.**

"That's quite a bump you've got there, Mr. Ketchem."

Ash nodded solemnly. The local doctor at the clinic nearby was checking and feeling the wound on Ash's head. Ash had had himself a long cry before being taken to the office. Up until now, he hadn't said a word. Although he had thrown up twice. That worried him. The whole sick feeling had begun two months ago, and it hadn't gotten any better.

The doc was looking into that next.

"...Hmm...well, stitches aren't necessary, this time. I'd say that keeping some gauze on it should heal it up, nicely." The young man said. His name plate read 'Dr. Fetrala'. "So you're fine as far as that goes." He flipped a page on his clip board, "Now, about being ill..."

Ash sighed, preparing himself for the on coming questions.

"When did this all start?"

"Two months ago." Ash muttered in a hoarse voice.

Dr. Fetrala frowned, taking a note. "Hmm...and it's just vomiting?"

"...No..."

"What else?"

Ash squirmed. These interviews; they made him feel like a Poliwhorl on a dissecting board. "Cramps..."

"Where?"

Ash wanted to smack the man. Well, if he was vomiting, where would they be? "My gut, where else?"

Now, Dr. Fetrala had a husband, so he was thinking of a lot of 'where else's. "Er...right..." He blushed, "A-hem, um, is there anything else?"

"I have to piss more often." Ash replied, smirking as the man blushed at his choice of words, "Does that help?"

The young doc sighed, blushing again. "Y-yes...it does...is there anything else you can think of?"

Ash thought for a moment. "...No."

"I see. Right." The doctor scribbled on his clipboard again. He frowned, flipping through Ash's medical record, eyes whisking back and forth, widening. "I-I see..."

"What?" Ash asked, curious and annoyed.

"...It's just...your history suggests..." Dr. Fetala shook himself, "I'm going to have to run a test on you. Wait here." He dashed out of the room, tossing his clipboard onto the counter-top behind him.

Ash sighed, getting up and looking down to the page the doc had flipped to.

'My birth record...?' He looked down, seeing something circled and written in large, red letters.

'The subject displays the qualities of being a hermaphrodite; we will watch him closely for a few weeks to see if any changes develop.' Ash frowned. "What the hell?"

"A hermaphrodite is a person of both genders."

Ash looked up as the doc entered the room again.

"So that's what it says, here?"

"Basically."

Ash tapped his fingers on the edge of the counter top irritably. "What does this have to do with anything?"

The doctor blinked. He chuckled. "You honestly don't know?"

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Look, pal, I had a pretty shitty morning. Get to the point."

"Right, right. Of course." The brunette doctor waved away the threat and started opening a box he had brought into the room. "Am I correct in saying that that man outside the door is your, ah, significant other?"

"Boyfriend." Ash said flatly, "Don't be so tight about it. Yes. But not for much longer." He looked sad when he said this, and Dr. F must have noticed.

"Is that the reason...for the stitches?" He asked, pausing in his actions to gaze at his young patient.

The dark-haired teenager looked up, nodding. "Yeah. I went out with a friend of mine last night, and he thought that I was fucking him."

"O-oh..." The doc turned back to the box, feeling flustered, "And you weren't?"

"No." Came the soft reply. Ash shook himself, and looked at the doctor again. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"He has half to do with it, if my assumptions are correct." Doctor Fetrala answered, somewhat to himself, "In your case, having a male partner is particularly dangerous."

"Why's that?"

The doctor could contain himself no longer. "With you being a hermaphrodite and having a male partner, there is a very good chance you are with child!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Both stared at each other.

"W-what?" Ash whispered, swallowing.

The older man sighed. "I'm sorry if you never knew, or never considered the possibility, but if that's the case, this time, then what is done is done, because I'm guessing you've been...pregnant...for at least two to three months." He turned back to the box, which was open, now, "That's old enough to be charged with murder."

There was a 'thunk', and, alarmed, Dr. F whirled around. Thankfully, Ash had not fainted. He had, however, sank against the wall, and down onto the floor. His face was pale, and his eyes were wide.

Pitying the poor boy, the doc knelt down, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I am truly sorry. I know it is sudden for you. Perhaps you and Mr. Oak could work something out-?" He trailed off as Ash laughed sadly.

"I don't think...that that's going to happen...ever..." He said, and tears spilled from the corners of his eyes.

It was torture, waiting for the pregnancy test to go through. During that time, Ash had decided to let Gary in the room, at which the doctor excused himself.

The two sat side by side. Neither said a thing, at first.

"...What did he say?" Came the voice of the auburn-haired one.

Ash's mouth opened and closed twice, but no sound came out. He looked down at his hands. Eventually, the shit would hit the fan. Ash still didn't want to be the one who told Gary, though. True, it was best, but Ash didn't like it at all.

The auburn-haired man glanced at the other, curious to why Ash wasn't answering. "Is something wrong?" He asked, concern laced into his voice.

Ash again eyed him. "It...really depends on how you look at it..." He started, eyes hitting the floor when Gary's turned to look, "I'm not quite sure."

Gary stared at the younger long and hard. "Does it have to deal with...what happened, earlier?"

"No." Ash said, quickly, "No, it doesn't. Apparently, this has all been going on for a couple months, now." The teenager ran a hand through his dark hair. A bead of sweat cascaded down his temple.

"...What do you think I'll have to say about it? Is that why you won't tell me?"

Ash's brown eyes darted over and then down again. "...A little..." He admitted. He sighed, taking a deep breath, "I'm...not sure how much of this you're going to believe, Gary, but..."

"...But what?"

"...I'm pregnant..."

There was a pause.

Gary snorted.

"You're really funny, Ash." He chuckled in a non-mocking way, "So, what's really the problem? What prescription did he give you? Then we can go home and...get this shit sor-"

"I am NOT kidding!"

The older looked up, eyes snapping up to meet those of Ash, who looked enraged. "Please, Ash, if this guy is taking advantage of your ability to be gullible-"

Ash snarled. "If you don't believe me, my test is on the counter AND my birth record."

Gary leveled Ash's gaze for a few seconds. "All right, if it'll humor you..." He said, casually, getting up and wandering towards said items on the counter. He snickered as he got to them. Looking at the test, first, he rolled his eyes.

But then stopped.

_'It's blue...'_

The man stared and stared. "What the hell?" He muttered. His green eyes wandered to the birth record. Leaning closed, he read the red inked letters. Gary, being a scholar, knew exactly what each and every word meant.

The deadly silence settled in.

Ash leaned wearily back against the wall behind the medical table. "I wouldn't lie to you about this, Gary..."

Gary stared for a moment longer.

"...Oh my god..."

Ash eyed Gary's back. He swallowed. "If it helps, I...I didn't know myself until now..." He mumbled. He was honestly afraid Gary was angry. The dull, aching pain running down the back of Ash's head was enough to base that off of. The younger bit his lip and waited.

Gary finally turned around. "..." He gave a weak chuckle, "I can not believe this..." He murmured to himself. One of his hands went to his forehead. "I've read about it before but...Jesus Christ..." He swallowed, looking troubled.

There were days, long ago, where that look would have sent Ash running to the elder's side to sooth whatever it was that was troubling him. But after today, Ash doubted whether or not it was safe to be around this man at all. And he couldn't take any risks. There was another person inside of him that he was supposed to protect, now.

Instead, the younger hugged his arms. The only comfort he had was himself.

"...So," Gary asked, hoarsely, "What are we supposed to do now?"

Ash thought for a moment. "Seriously? I don't know..."

But it appeared Gary was talking to himself. "The media's going to raise hell." He muttered, "They'll follow us everywhere." He threw up his hands, "Shit..."

The younger watched, saddened. "We could go..."

"Go where, Ash? Where the hell are we supposed to go!? Where ever we go, there's going to be someone there, and then we'll be pasted all over every goddamn front page all over the world! Is that what you want?!"

Ash shrank back. He didn't like where this was going. "N-No, of course not." He stuttered.

Gary moaned and began to pace furiously. "Damn it...why you?" Ash felt a stab in what remained of his heart. "..." Gary stopped pacing. "There's only one thing we can do, really..." He eyed Ash, hollowness vivid in the green eyes.

Ash squirmed. "What?"

"Get rid of it."

The world around Ash seemed to shatter. "W-what?"

"You heard me crystal clear. There's nothing we can do otherwise."

"What do you mean nothing?! There's plenty we can do!" The dark-haired boy cried out.

Gary was equally mad. "Like what?!"

"...We can keep it..."

"That's just setting yourself up for a number of things; kidnap, shame by public, assassination. You know that, Ash. You aren't stupid." Gary snapped.

"Really? You seem to think the opposite, most of the time." Ash shot back, "That's not an option, Gary. I refuse."

Gary growled. "Well there isn't any way in hell we're going though with this, either!" He spat, "Do you really want to go through with this?! Do you WANT to get yourself killed?! You'll be a laughing stock; you won't be able to go anywhere, after a few months! Don't make the wrong choice, Ash!"

Ash glared. "You mean, don't go against you."

"That's not what I said at all, Ash."

"No, Gary, that's EXACTLY what you're saying. And, let me tell you something," The teen said, getting to his feet, "I'M the one carrying this baby; I'M the one who's giving up nine months of MY life for it; and I'M the one who will decide if it lives or if it dies, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!"

Gary was silent, but his eyes narrowed into slits. "I'm part of it, too, Ash."

"Oh, so NOW you want to claim responsibility?!"

"Ash, shut up."

"Why?! I'm not your doormat!"

Gary's eyes snapped open. He reached forward, fingers closing around Ash's throat. The boy whithered in his hold. "I told you to shut your trap."

The younger whimpered, struggling. His eyes were brimming with terror and tears. "Let go!"

"Are you both finished talki-MY GOD! UN-HAND HIM AT ONCE!"

Gary was knocked backward by Ash's doctor. The auburn-haired male looked up at the man, fury burning a fire in his green eyes.

Dr. F. glared. "I'm appalled! This boy is carrying your child, Mr. Oak! What in God's name is the meaning of this?!"

Gary opened his mouth to tell the doctor to keep his nose out of their business, but stopped.

Ash was gone.

Cowering in the lobby, Ash cried. There were a few others surrounding him, asking what was wrong, and whether or not he was all right. He had no answer; the sobs racking his body kept him from uttering a coherent sentence.

One doctor had come out, telling people to get back, that Ash needed some space, in case he made himself sick. He turned to the distraught teenager, kneeling.

"Son, I don't know what the matter is, but I'm sure if you told me, I could help."

Ash shook his head. "He's a bastard. He'll n-never listen to anyone but himself..."

"Who, son?"

The boy looked up, faced streamlined with tears, and opened his mouth, but faltered. He looked just past the man's shoulder, copper eyes wide with fear. "Him!"

The old doctor turned to see Gary standing in the doorway to the offices. "Sir?"

Gary looked at Ash quivering form, eyes betraying his guilt. "I, uh...He's with me..."

"Not anymore!" Ash spat. Gary recoiled.

The doc looked from one to the other. "Ah, this isn't the best place to settle things..." He said, watching as Gary crossed the threshold towards him and Ash.

Ash saw him and screamed. "You get away from me! I'm sick and tired of this! I give and give to you and this is what I get?!" He got shakily to his feet. Turning to the old doctor, he asked, trembling, "Do you have a phone?"

The man blinked. "Yes."

Gary stepped forward. "Wait a minute, Ash..." But Ash gave him such a look that Gary trailed off.

The doc took Ash out of the lobby, leaving Gary to be stared and glared at by the room's other occupants.

"You low-life bastard." Hissed one woman with her arm in a cast.

"Snake." Growled another. Her pregnant daughter nodded, glaring, and her boyfriend clutched her tighter, daring Gary to come any closer. Gary watched them for a long time. Slowly, he sank into a chair and sighed, putting his face in his hands. What they said was true. What Ash said was true. And that made him sick.

After what seemed to be hours, the old doctor and Ash came back, Ash with a handkerchief to his red, puffy eyes. Gary got up.

"Do you want to go home?" He asked, softly.

Ash leered as best he could. "That house isn't my home. It used to be, but not anymore."

Gary blinked. "What do you mean?"

The dark-haired boy walked past him, head down. "You already know."

The older ran to him, getting past the door and catching Ash's wrist. "No, I don't know." Gary replied, "Tell me."

Ash looked disgusted. "Once upon a time, that would have worked." He snarled, trying to wrench his wrist free. Gary held on tight.

"I won't let you go until you tell me."

Those words struck Ash hard. Maybe Gary had meant it as in a right now business, but to the younger, it seemed as though letting go of the whole relationship was finally hitting home.

"...You used to love me."

Gary frowned. "_Used to?_ What do you mean, _used to_?"

Ash had stopped struggling. He stared off to the side. "Do you remember all those times when we would be together? Not doing anything at all; just being with each other? And we were happy that way. Nothing _needed_ to happen. We were just happy." Ash swallowed and went on, "How you used to come home right after work and yell that you were home, and would always smile when I ran out and hugged you and told you how much I had missed you? Even though I knew you would be back anyway, and it wasn't something to get worked up about?"

Gary listened, not speaking. Yes, he remembered those things...

"Then, how I would have supper ready, and even if it was a five minute dinner, you always told me how good it was? Then we would go upstairs and I would take care of you so that you could relax?" Ash paused, "Do you remember...all the times we made love? Not this bull-shit fucking rape me in the shower shit, either." He gritted his teeth, angry tears prickling the corners of his eyes, "Really making love? All those "I love you"'s and all those holidays we spent just curled up together?" He finally broke down, "Don't you remember...any of that?"

Gary nodded, reaching up to wipe away Ash's tears but just being batted away. "Of course I remember...How could I forget?"

"THEN WHAT HAPPENED?!" Ash cried, "Why are you like this?!"

"Like what?"

Ash reached up, cradling his own face in his tiny hands. "You stopped coming home until real late, and by then, dinner was always cold and I had to throw it out, and then you stopped coming h-home at all. You're always drunk, and you're always saying how stupid and how much of a bad cook, or bad house cleaner...How much I'm bad at everything! You say awful things about how I look and how much you want me to go get whatever to help me look better! You've thrown me down in a SHOWER and fucked me and then left me cold and alone. Now this shit...What happened? What did I do?" And the dark-haired boy started sobbing all over again.

"It's nothing you did, Ash! Honest! I just...I'm a little..." But whatever excuse Gary wanted to use, seeing Ash cry like that blew it away.

Ash choked out. "You don't even want t-to help m-me, right now. You just want to get rid of the baby so you won't have to deal with it. You don't care anymore!"

Gary clutched Ash's shoulders. "That's not true!"

Ash wrenched himself from the older's grasp. "I don't want to feel like this anymore. I love you! But I can't stand it when you not only not love me back, but you treat me like this!" He sniffled, "B-Brock is coming to pick me up. S-So just take your car and g-go home, or to where-ever you've been staying, because I don't want to go back!"

Gary stared. His heart froze. "W-What?"

"I'm not coming back with you! Brock is packing stuff at our house right now. He and some other guys are getting the rest of it later." Ash sobbed.

"Y-You're leaving?" Gary asked, voice a whisper, "For...good?"

Ash didn't answer. He simply turned on heel and walked out of the building. Gary watched him walk across the parking lot and, a few minutes later, get into Brock's truck. Gary kept standing there.

He sank to his knees, watching the truck take Ash away.

For what he thought was the last time, Gary looked at Ash.

Softly, as the truck turned and drove away, the man who never cried wept bitterly.


	3. Fragile Glass Heart

**Wonny: Well howdy doo! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, last. My fault. Well, I get to drive tomorrow! And, just maybe, finally get my blue-slip! That's what I've been doing, most of the year: earing my blue slip. Whoop-ee. Yay. Another way to hurt my fellow man: with a mobile death machine. XD Nah.**

**Anyway. Back to fics. I'm trying, guys, REALLY trying. But now I'm the admin of an RPG site, and it's been taking up most of my time, as well as the recently passed DSTPs (Delaware Student Testing Programs) and average sophmore school work. That, and family deals and issues. I sware, you all have NO idea...**

**So...**

**On with the fic!**

**Sorry this chapie's a little short. I thought it was all right, but what ever. Flame if you wish.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing as far as characters of pokemon go...except three Ash figurines and one chibi-Ash clip from Japan, but whatever.**

Far from the weeping Gary, Ash was not having a good time with his tears, either. It seemed that whenever he thought they stopped, as soon as he took his hands away from his face, they started once more. Brock couldn't do very much, as he was trying to keep his truck on the road, in his lane. He did talk to him, though, in a soothing voice, telling him that things were going to be all right, now. But even Brock didn't seem too sure of this.

Upon arriving at Brock's residence, and finally pulling to a stop, the older of the two friends held the younger as he sobbed, rubbing the back of his head gently and telling him that it was all over; that Ash would never have to see Gary again, if he didn't want to. And half of Ash rejoiced at this. After all, it would be a peaceful time without Gary around: there wasn't anyone to complain about him or jeer at him or generally make his life a living hell.

Sadly, the other half wept bitterly. A first and only love...gone. Surely this was how a heartbroken lover felt. Surely, there could be no greater pain. And as more tears ran down Ash's face, it was the only thing he knew: that dull, aching pain right in the center of his fragile, broken glass heart.

"Misty, I don't know what to do with him. It's been a week and...Yes, I know he's going through a lot, but...No, Misty, wait, back up and can it for a moment. You remember those documents I sent you?...Okay, well, all I'm saying is, this being couped up in that room without much food can't be good for his condition..."

Said Ash listened at the top of the stairs. Brock was on the phone with Misty, another of his close friends, and also the most hot-headed out of all of them. Despite the bitterness he felt for his former lover, Ash still didn't wish Misty Waterflower's rage on him. He had specifically told Brock not to let her know for a while. Apparently, Brock thought he had waited long enough.

"...Yes...I think you ought to...Ah, you know he listens to me...Hate to tell you this, but you scare the shit out of him...Kidding, Kidding!...Well, what am I supposed to do with him?! He can't just stay here and waste away!...No...I'm not leaving him in a shelter for mothers, Misty. That's our friend you're talking about...So what?!...Look..." Brock sighed, tapping his fingers on the table, and Ash heard Misty squawking over the phone. He, himself, was hiding around the corner. Brock didn't know that he was being listened in on.

"...I understand that...Will that really be better for him?...You think?...I'll call and ask them...I still don't feel good about it, but-...I understand, Misty, really. If you think that he should be there with other mothers, then...Gotcha. G'night. Thanks."

Ash didn't hear the click of the phone being set on its cradle. He had dashed upstairs and was, yet again, packing. Not for this mother's home, mind you. No, Ash had another place in mind...

Somewhere safe, where he would be welcomed by actual friends.

After all, the Elite Four had always told him that if he needed a favor...

A light tapping sounded on the door.

"Ash?"

More tapping. No answer. Brock blew a piece of hair out of his face. Frankly, he was getting tired of this. Ash was just being a little over-reactive, in his opinion, sulking around like he was.

"You've got till three, Ash, and then I'm coming in."

No response.

"One."

Still nothing.

"TWO."

Brock grabbed the handle of the door.

"THREE!"

He threw open the door and stood, fuming, eyes scanning for his friend.

The man's face paled. He flew down the stairs to phone Misty, Tracy, Richie...anyone he knew.

Ash was gone.


	4. Pick Up the Pieces

**Won: Forth chapter! I apologize for two things:**

**1) The shortness of this chapter.**

**2) The OCness of the Elite Four. I haven't seen many episodes with them, in fact, I've only seen one with Lorelei, and I've heard talk of Lance. Isn't that just awful?**

**So hit that review button down at the bottom and tell Ol' Wonny what else you wanna see, as far as this story goes. I also want to know what of my other fanfictions you want to see updated soon...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. And the baby, I own that.**

4444444

It hadn't been easy, escaping from under Brock's nose. Ash had cut it close: The moment Brock had turned the corner to the stairs, he himself had shut the front door and hurried down the steps. From there, he'd had to rush about five blocks and flag down a taxi. Unlike his earlier days, Ash couldn't walk all the way to where he had in mind. As it was, he didn't think, a few years ago, that he'd actually to call on the services of the Elite Four again. He'd purposely distanced himself from them ever since their last encounter.

It looked, now, as though he had no choice. If he stayed much longer, he knew that he was bound to find out that no one really wanted to deal with him. What Ash was attempting to pull off was a crude and unlikely plan. For all he knew, the Elite Four might slam the door in his face. All he could hope for was that they would hear what he had to say.

Thankfully, the taxi-driver asked nothing more then where he was headed, and didn't inquire why when Ash told him to take him to the head quarters of the Elite Four. This gave the tired boy plenty of time to think over the whole business of why he was going there.

Pressing a hand to his belly, the dark-haired boy would've given anything in the world to be normal. He didn't even care if he went back to the lonely life he had led with his crumbling relationship with Gary. Now he didn't even have that. All he had was himself, what little he could carry, and what started all this mess. And how would the Elite Four take that, for that matter? No one was going to believe him unless he had proof, and the physical proof wouldn't show until five months from now, he was sure.

What it came down to was that if this plan backfired, Ash was on his own. And that wasn't promising.

4444444

The drive to the Elite Four's head quarters was a long one, and Ash found himself asleep half way through against his will. Not that he could help it: The last few days had been exhausting ones, and sleep had been few and far between. He only awoke when the driver gently shook him, telling him that they had reached their destination.

The headquarters was remote, and the boy felt oddly alone, as the driver pulled away. It was when the cab was a speck in the distance did Ash finally walk up to the door and, swallowing, knocked.

As if on cue, the door swung open, revealing a rather large, muscled man. He looked around and then turned his eyes down upon Ash.

"Well! This is a surprise!" His voice was so loud that it sounded like a bellow. "It isn't that often we get return visitors, Ash Ketchem."

"Hello Bruno." The dark-haired boy said, softly. "May I-?"  
"Of course! Where are my manners...come right in."

Upon walking into the threshold, the door closed behind him, and Bruno started to walk ahead. "Come, come, the others will be delighted to see you!" He chortled, happily. Ash followed as best he could with the man's big stride. "What brings you back to this ole' decrepit place?"

If he expected Ash to laugh, he was disappointed. "I, um...have a favor to ask of you...all of you..."

"Ah." Bruno rubbed his chin. "Then we'd best find the others more quickly. It may take all of us to decide whether or not to take you up on that favor." He gave the boy a pat on the shoulder that nearly sent Ash crashing through the floor.

"I see you've been working out more..." He gasped. Bruno laughed loudly.

"Yep!" He flexed one of his arms for Ash to see. "Gotta keep up my strength! Never know if someone like you's gonna walk through those doors, one of these days...Ah! Here we are!"

The door he entered now led down a narrow hallway that Ash wasn't familiar with, and assumed this must have been the Elite Four's living quarters. He should have expected it when Bruno yelled: "COMPANY!"

At once, three other faces appeared. First came Lorelei, with her blue hair and icy cold demeanor, then Agatha, who's old face stared into people like a dead person's, and finally, and much to Ash's relief, Lance, the dragon-trainer.

"No need to shout, Bruno, unless you want all of the Indigo region to hear you." Lorelei said coolly. She set her eyes on Ash. "Ah, but what's this? I see that one of our challengers has returned."

Agatha scrutinized the dark-haired boy. "Most defiantly. But he looks troubled." She came forward, standing a little under Ash's chin, now. "Tell me, lad, what bothers you s much that you seek out us four, hm?"

"Relax, Agatha." Lance brushed past her, "He'll tell us when he needs to." He turned his fiery eyes to Ash's. "You will, won't you?"

The boy nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry to have bothered you all..." Amidst the protests that he wasn't a bother at all, he continued, "...But I...I have a bit of an...emergency..."

After taking in the seriousness of his tone, the four of them ushered Ash into their living room, seating him on the sofa and lounging in different places around him. Lance chose to sit next to him, for which Ash was rather grateful of.

"Now, boy." Agatha snapped, briskly. "What is this emergency you speak of?"

Feeling nervous under the four pairs of eyes on him, Ash nevertheless told them the whole tale, starting with his and Gary's dying love and ending to him now. For a moment, they were all silent.

Lorelei was the first to open her mouth, and Ash had a bad feeling that she would call him a liar.

However, she said this: "And you are here to seek shelter, are you not?"

Feeling confused and yet relieved, the boy nodded.

The Elite Four exchanged looks.

"While it's against our code to accept guests in our headquarters," Agatha stated, finally, making Ash flinch, "seeing as we promised you a favor, we will allow you to stay with us and provide for you until you have your child." She then turned to the others. "Does anyone wish to object or add to this?"

Bruno did. "I think it'd be best if we allowed him to stay a little longer..."

"Seconded." Lorelei cut in. "To give time for his body to recover from the pregnancy and birth, and for the baby to become accustomed to a suitable environment."

"Err..." Bruno rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I was gonna say something else, but that sounds better..."

"How about you, Lance?" The oldest of all of them asked, and all eyes were on him. "Anything to add?"

The dragon-master thought for a moment, looked at Ash, and then shook his head. "Nothing. I have nothing to add, and I don't object."

"Then it's agreed." Agatha stated, and she looked at Ash as well. "Do YOU agree?"

The dark-haired boy nodded, then looked to his feet. "You're all...too kind...thank you so much..." He looked beside himself with thankfulness. The boy almost seemed like he wanted to cry. It was all okay, now. He and his child would be all right. Everything was falling into place...

He didn't count on one thing, though; one thing that would make the whole pregnancy very difficult to deal with. Because once you're out of love, how do you fall back into it?


	5. The Faults of Others

**Author's Note: I said I was going to, and I did! Here's the next chapter for Elite Protection, everyone! I hope you like it...It kinda helped that I set out what I wanted to accomplish with this chapter beforehand. That way, I was able to focus on what I wanted and what the chapter needed more then what I could do for filler. D: So read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Wonnykins does not own Pokemon, Ash Ketchem, Gary Oak, Brock, Misty, the Elite Four, etc. There is no reason to sue me for this purely fan-made story. I promise. **

**Chapter 5: The Faults of Others**

55555

"This is all your fault!"

Misty Waterflower's body shot at him from the front door like a coiled spring, knocking Gary to the floor. Her thin, smooth and delicate hands wrapped around the older man's throat. "I could kill you for hurting him that way!" Indeed, she was rather close to it.

"Misty, that's enough." Brock yanked the woman off of the blue-faced Gary with one swipe. "We need him alive. Remember? Besides, he's already a mess as it is."

This was true. As Gary sat up, one could see the dark circles under his eyes, the redness around them, and the overall paleness of his skin. His eyes were dull, and he even looked a little weak. Misty wasn't moved, however.

She put her hands on her hips, glaring down her nose at him as he rose to his feet. "You don't have a right to be upset, you selfish son of a bitch. Don't you DARE try to sway us with your Feralligator tears."

Gary's eyes narrowed. "Where the fuck do you and Squinty-Eye here get off telling ME how I feel in MY house?"

"Cut it out, you two. Call a momentary truce, for the love of God..." Brock exclaimed. "This is serious!"

Misty shut herself up before she could go any further, but she continued to look steamed.

"...Gary..." Brock said, softly, "...We need you to help us."

"With what? I don't think I owe you our your little Time Bomb any favors."

The older man's gaze could have frozen an ocean miles away. "I believe you do. It's partially, no, MOSTLY your fault that Ash is missing."

A silence reined.

"...What?"

"You heard him." Misty murmured, tone deadly, "Ash up and left two weeks ago. Just like that. May I remind you that it was YOUR behavior that made him so freaking jumpy."

"She's right." Brock chimed in, solemnly, "The way you've treated Ash all this time has changed him, Gary. He fled because he overheard Misty and I discussing him over the phone."

Gary snorted, stuffing one hand into his pants pocket while examining imaginary dirt on the other. "Yeah, so what? I don't see how I fit into the picture. Sounds like you and Waterflower were the problem, there."

"He was afraid. For himself and for that child. And you made him that way." Misty hissed. "We saw the nice little 'souvenir' you left on his head, Gary. He's scared to death you're going to injure him, and that he's going to loose that baby because of you." When Gary looked stunned at her words, she plowed on, "And don't think you wouldn't do it. He said you acted so humble after you smacked the shit out of him a couple weeks ago, begging for forgiveness. Then you up and strangle him in a doctor's office." She shook her head, red tresses bouncing. "As if there couldn't be anymore scum on this planet..."

"I never meant to-!"

Brock silenced him. "We're not sure you did or not, Gary. That's what worries us, and what's terrifying him. It's what's keeping him from returning. Which brings us back to the issue at hand..." The taller man stepped into the threshold, peering around. Gary hadn't cleaned the place in the two weeks that Ash had been gone; that had always been Ash's job...or had it seemed that way in his mind...?

"We need to know where he may have gone."

The auburn-haired man shook himself out of his musings to stare at Brock in confusion. "...What?"

"Where did he go?" Misty growled. "You only lived with him, what, five years, now. Surely you know where he goes when you two fight. Or should I say, when you beat the hell out of him while he's down."

Gary flinched, rubbing the back of his head in a guilty fashion. "I guess...I never asked him..."

"Oh, this is going to be VERY helpful..."

"Misty, that's enough." Brock snapped. She, again, quieted on command. It struck Gary how their worry over Ash had changed them; Misty was so desperate to find him that she was actually obeying orders, and Brock's fuse seemed to have been cut almost down to nothing. Already, he was becoming more impatient with Gary's silence.

"...He told me...that he's usually with one of you two...have you tried his mother?"

Brock nodded curtly. "We have. She was hysterical. We all figured he would have gone to her, but it appears not. That's a big problem, because that broadens the places he could be by several hundred."

"_Several hundred?!_" Gary cried, shocked.

Misty nodded. "Ash met all sorts of people on his travels. Any one of them could be helping him hide, and they're scattered all around the regions, the islands...there are even a couple over seas, if I remember correctly. And many of them live in remote areas that are hard to gain access to. If we searched them all, we wouldn't find him before the baby came along, and it all would have been for nothing."

"He's smart, but not smart enough to get the proper medical attention he'd need in some of those places." Brock added. "Which makes the search a top priority. We've been phoning a lot of people...putting up news bulletins, but there's nothing coming in."

Gary let this all sink in.

"Gary...Ash has literally vanished into thin air..." The man felt a pang of pain as he heard the quiver in Misty's voice, "We need to find him before...something happens to him...And I know you treated him like dirt but..." She stared at him, and he saw hope in her eyes, "I know, I KNOW, that you care about him, deep down. You love him. So please, help us find him. I-I...don't want to loose one of my very best friends...Ash has meant so much to me since I first met him all that time ago..."

"He means a lot to everyone who's had the pleasure to know him." Brock added, softly. "It'd be like a huge part of the world suddenly had a piece of their hearts ripped out if something bad happened to Ash...You most of all, Gary. And you know that."

For a moment, the two of them stared at Gary Oak, who had once been a proud, cocky person, yet a very caring soul. The person who had, recently, become every spouse's nightmare, and who didn't give a damn anymore about the feelings of someone he loved above everything else. Someone who used to be strong, but was now weak without that other shoulder to help him stand up. And Gary realized, then, how much he wanted..._needed_...Ash Ketchem in his life.

"I'll help you find him." He muttered, not paying attention to the few tears that were falling down his face. "Whatever it takes, I'll help you find him and bring him back home..." '_Where he belongs...with me._'

55555

"Better luck next time."

The defeated trainer scuffed her feet. She looked close to tears, and Bruno hated to see anyone cry...

He placed one of his big hands on her shoulders, giving her a reassuring smile. "There will be a next time, I assure you. You just have to practice hard."

She sniffled, but she looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes. "You mean that?"

"Of course. Took me a really long time to be what I am, you know. It may take you a lot less." And he winked at her. She grinned and wiped her eyes hurriedly.

"Thanks! I'll come back!" She turned and ran to the doors, waving, "Don't think I'll go easy on you!"

Bruno laughed heartily and waved back. "Till next time!" When the door closed, he sighed, shaking his head with a smile still on his face.

"You were awfully kind to her."

The muscle-man glanced over his shoulder, seeing Lorelei striding towards him. He shuddered; the woman was his friend, but she still gave him chills. It was her eyes, he supposed. While Lorelei was a beautiful woman indeed, her eyes were icy cold.

"I feel guilty...I acted so harsh when she advanced past me..." She stated, though her tone conveyed that the mere thought that such a child could have beaten her irritated her. "But they say tough love produces better results."

"You and your 'results', Lorelei." Bruno replied, chuckling, "You've got to learn that not everything in life can be explained with statistics. Sometimes, it takes a little thinking outside the box."

She frowned, but he knew her well enough by now to know that she wasn't angry with him. "Yes...I know...Come to think of it, didn't you say something along those lines to Ash Ketchem when he came here?"

Bruno placed his hand to the back of his head, thinking. "I may have...that was years ago, Lorelei, I doubt if I did or not..." He grinned, "But he _did _come back...We all knew he would."

"Yes, but I doubt it did him any good. He's only here hiding." She said, coldly. "Really, I could _kill _that boy..."

"Err...I thought we agreed on him staying-?"

"Not Ash, you big lummox, I meant his spouse. His boyfriend...whatever term he used..." The blue-haired woman narrowed her eyes into slits. "That low life...You know, I've heard of women being treated so harshly, but I never, _never_, in all my time, have heard of something like this..."

The man nodded solemnly. "It's a down-right shame..."

"Not only that," She continued, "But of all the _nerve_!" She crossed her arms, gripping them so tightly that Bruno feared her dagger-like nails would punch through her blouse's sleeves, "You'd think that after the way that little piece of...of..._**trash **_treated Ash all those years before they finally started...living together...you'd think he'd be **GRATEFUL **that Ash decided to give him a second chance!"

"I certainly would think so."

The two whipped around to see the new arrival. Lance approached calmly, as he had sounded.

"I would have waited on him hand and foot..." The magenta-haired man continued, "But Gary is, unfortunately, a rather spoiled child. He has been for years. We know this." When the other two nodded, he went on, "So of course he would act as though Ash was only another possession...He'd love him, play with him, and get bored with him, and toss him aside. But Ash isn't a material thing, and unlike all of Gary's other toys, he desires love and affection. Something Gary didn't want to give him, anymore."

"Sounds about right." Lorelei grumbled. "What a spoiled little brat..."

The youngest of them made a tittering noise of agreement. "And, of course, when Ash persisted, it pissed Gary off, and so we have here the result: A broken home. One that was never meant to exist in the first place. It's a tragedy, really..." The dragon-tamer gave a forlorn sigh.

His well-muscled companion also sighed. "Never should have happened to Ash. He was a good kid."

"_Is _a good kid." Lorelei corrected, and the men looked at her in surprise. It was rare that the frosty Lorelei softened to anyone. To say that someone was 'a good kid' was like God telling a man that he was Jesus. You were blessed if Lorelei favored you.

"Yes." Lance agreed, after shaking off the initial surprise of her good-nature. "He is."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a couple minutes. After that, Bruno made an excuse to side step into the gymnasium for some quick tune-ups. Lance also snapped out of his daze to mumble something about checking on Agatha before quickly rushing out of the gym. Only Lorelei noticed the strange warmth in his eyes as he spoke about their guest...

55555

He was feverish and shaking, pale and clammy to the touch.  
"Boy, I would sit down if I were you. And believe me, I'm old, I know when somebody should sit."

Ash didn't look at Agatha. She wouldn't have seen him do so, anyway. Her back was to him, and she was stirring something on the large stove top nearby. He merely sat as she's asked. The morning had been...not so great. He didn't hold anything down until noon rolled around, and by then, he was dehydrated and empty. He'd gone to find Lance to ask him about checking on Brock and Misty for him, but couldn't find the dragon-trainer anywhere.

Thank God for Agatha...

"I'll get you something to drink in a second. I'd rather not have this boiling over onto my feet; with Lance and his beasts around, they're hot enough." Whether that was meant to be a joke or not eluded Ash, who didn't want to think about anything, much less about whether Agatha had been trying to get a laugh out of him. She'd be sorely disappointed, because he didn't laugh.

She wasn't perturbed. "I hope this stage you have doesn't last much longer. Can't have anyone around hear looking like some kind of skeleton...except myself. Especially you, young man. Can't have you looking worse-for-wear with this baby you've got coming along."

"I can't hold a decent meal for more then five minutes..." The boy replied, resting one of his elbows on the table in front of him, trying to steady his shaking. "You and I both hope this doesn't last too long."She turned and swatted at his arm quickly, earning a protesting yelp.

"No elbows on the table. Manners." She muttered in explanation. How she'd known with her back turned that he'd been sitting like that, Ash didn't know, but for his arm's sake, he didn't dare touch the table again. "Anyway, I know for certain that you'll be feeling better in a few weeks at the very most." The old woman poured a thick broth into a bowl, ladling noodles and chicken into it.

Ash took the bowl from her with a soft thank you. "What makes you say that?"

"Dear, I'm old, not senile." Agatha replied, bluntly, ladling another bowl for herself. "About the time a pregnancy reaches its forth month, the morning sickness will stop." She sat herself beside him, and gave him a stern look which made him set the bowl back down on the table before resuming to eat. Only then did she turn her eyes to her own food and begin to eat, herself.

The boy let the warmth slid over his tongue briefly as he contemplated his next statement. "...Did you ever...have children, Agatha?"

She stopped eating and sighed in a tired way. "No, but my sister did. She was a foolish girl...Had them when she was seventeen and eighteen. Barely old enough to get a half-decent job, and, of course, their good-for-nothing father took to the hills. Foolish, foolish wretch..."

"...For...having the kids, or for-?"

"For everything she did." Agatha murmured, narrowing her eyes and placing her spoon down. She folded her hands and brought them to her face, closing her wrinkled old eyes. "...Those children never had a good home...she was always away, with men or work, and they never saw much of her. My mother had to watch them while she was out fooling around. I hated that." A pause. "...She was my sister, but I absolutely hated her for what she did, or didn't, do to those children. I was fond of them...They were always so happy to have someone around..."

By this point, the dark-haired boy had stopped eating to give Agatha his full attention. "...What happened to them?"

A tired sigh came from weathered lips. "They were taken away. A neighbor found them all alone one day, their mother had been gone for a week, they had said. She never told us, that bitch...left them alone to starve and cry and...and beg God for someone, anyone...to find them." A shudder passed Agatha's lips as she plowed on, "Social Services came while my mother and I watched over them...they took them away, and we never saw them again."

"And your sister?"

The old woman's face grew stony. "We found out that she had been staying with a man who was a dealer with drugs. She'd stupidly gotten herself so messed up that she said that she'd had 'no choice but to stay there'." A snort. "A load of cock-and-bull is what that all was. She said the most awful things when she found out her children were gone...said that it was more money for her...And I wanted to kill her for it."

"It's because of her that those children are somewhere far away, growing up not knowing who their real family is. It's because of her incompetence that two more children are in harm's way." She sniffed once, dabbing her eyes. "I did so love those precious children...So you listen here, boy." Her eyes flew open, and she fixed Ash with a gaze hard enough to send Charizard scurrying. "Don't you dare deny or neglect this child's wants and needs. I will not tolerate anything that will risk a child, do you understand me? That is why I allowed you to stay. We took you in. You are merely a child yourself, and we took you out of a bad situation. Don't make us regret that, boy. Especially not I, because I will rein hell upon you if you do unto that child what my sister did unto hers."

Ash nodded wearily. "I understand..."

"Do you?" She asked, voice still steely, eyes still questioning. "Do you really?"

"...Yes, Agatha. I promise you, I won't make you regret it."

A silence formed between them, as if it had left the conversation between the other three of the Elite Four and had come to rest on the last of them and their guest.

Finally, though, Agatha softened, reaching over to clasp Ash's hand in her wrinkled, knobby hand. "You're a good boy. A very good boy. And I trust you will do the right thing." She did not smile, but it was good enough.

They ate the rest of their lunch in silence.

55555

The window was open. A faint breeze was making itself present in Ash's temporary room, making the air in it a little warmer. Because Lorelei had a lot of ice pokemon, (this was her excuse; the woman preferred the cold), the headquarters of the Elite Four were extremely cold, perhaps even to the point of freezing. Ash couldn't stand it at all, and was thankful that the weather outside was warmer then his room. He would have gone out, had it not been for the fact that no one would let him.

_'If someone catches sight of you and happens to report it, we have no choice but to let the claim be investigated...' _Agatha had warned. _'You're a face that's easy to recognize, and your disappearance has more then likely caused a lot of people to jump at the opportunity to find you. Don't be a twit; if you need to go outside, have one of us go with you.' _At this point, though, when he'd asked for her to accompany him, she'd sheepishly told him that she had to tend to her Haunter, who seemed to be doing poorly since its last battle.

This would have gone over well, had it not been for the fact that the other three of the Elite Four also appeared to be rather busy with something. Thus, Ash was inside. He wasn't happy about it, but there wasn't anything he could do.

Actually, the boy was rather tired, and could have used a nap, but the cold of the building prevented it, even with the window open. He was forced to be content with day dreaming while being wrapped tightly in a heavy blanket. Having nothing else to do, the dark-haired trainer found himself reminiscing; mostly on the recently past relationship he'd shared with Gary Oak...

Ash missed that. The whole love thing had been so filling, so purposeful to him. He doubted that he'd ever forget it, of course; he'd given too much into the affair and to Gary for it to ever cease it's nagging at his heart strings. In a way, he believed that he was emotional split. On one hand, he wanted to forget Gary, and all they'd had, for the better of his mental state. After all, he didn't need to be upset and concerned with a thing of the past at the moment, not with someone else he had to take care of.

And yet...

The part that Ash couldn't and wouldn't give in to was the one that wanted to cling on to the faint hope that, somehow, things would go back to the way they were in the beginning, when he and Gary had been in actual love. It was, he thought, a natural thing to think; many others felt that way after parting ways with a lover or a spouse. He thought, also, that for him to want such a thing was unhealthy, and that he needed to forget the feeling of want.

The want to hold, to be held, to love and to be loved in return. It was very different to want all those things...and not have them. He only realized this once he'd gotten over the initial shock of the relationship coming to an end, which was when he'd gotten settled into his quarters here with the Elite Four. Even during the more recent times, when Gary was clearly _not _interested in what Ash had to give him any longer, the feeling of want was satisfied, no matter if it was out of love or rather, more often, from lust. Now, he couldn't even have that.

With a soft sigh, the dark-haired boy rested his head back against the wall. He was sitting on his bed, feet straight out in front of him, hands in his lap. He wished things could have remained the way they had started; a fresh, new love with all the perks. With all the laughter, the sweet moments, the tender touches and chaste kisses. He desired the return of that love more then anything else.

Exhaustion finally over came Ash, and he allowed himself to be flooded with memories that were warm and pleasant, and yet, at the same time, burned...

55555

_The summer air is warm against them, the wind kind to their hair as they lay in the grass. Soft laughter escapes them, and small touches are received with shy smiles and pink cheeks. Neither will meet the eyes of the other, but not out of guilt, of shyness. They are young, around fifteen years of age each, with the auburn-haired boy being slightly older, and slightly more experienced with the emotions that teenagers receive._

_It is only by chance that they have chosen to be with each other in such a way as this. So much fighting had passed between them in the days before that it is a wonder such a love as the one they share could exist between them. This reality never fazes them, and they pay it no mind when friends mention it. The two shrug it off as if it is of no importance. And perhaps it isn't._

_The fingers of the younger one intertwine with the older one's own, and he smiles up at him rather bashfully. The older doesn't seem to mind the action, and in fact tightens his hold on the hand so lovingly clutched in his own. He presses a kiss to the dark-haired boy's cheek, which prompts another giggle. The sound excites the older boy, who smiles with playful deviousness in his eyes and leans in to press another kiss to the smaller boy, this time to his lips. A quiet sigh leaves the dark-haired boy, and he closes his eyes. _

_Seeds blowing off the dandelions of the late summer gently brush the two figures in the grass, as though gently taking some of their love to spread to farther places. The seeds drift, the grass ripples, the leaves in the trees whisper. A call of a bird breaks the silence, but only for a moment, and even then, the melody playing around the two boys is harmonious._

_"I love you."_

_Even those three simple words work into the sound of the world around them pleasantly. The smaller of the two looks up at the speaker with a pair of gracious and loving eyes._

_"I love you, too."_

_The summer air continues to drift, carrying the words spoken away, for others to hear. The warm summer air over a blanket of grass, covering two new lovers. A summer breeze that holds them together in this point in time, not knowing that what has come to pass will not hold in the end..._

_A summer breeze in a memory...a memory that brings tears...tears of the sorrow of a young love now lost to time and bitterness._

_A breeze in a memory. Nothing more._

55555

**So! Tell me what you thought of this one! It may seem a little different in style then anything else I've written, and if it is, I'd like to know. D: I was wondering how my style's improved.**

**ALSO!**

**I need the reviewing population's help! I need you all to tell me what you want to see in this next chapter, because, honestly, I haven't written it yet. I want YOUR imput! Tell me in your review what you'd really like to see happen soon. I'll take the best five ideas and put them in the next chapter. Try not to make it something like 'Ash has twins!', because I'd really like to keep the story long, and having have twins is a LONG while off. Even for ultra sounds. He's only a couple months along! ...Or, maybe he can go in for those now...D: Research is required for further involvement in that!**

**But getting back on topic; tell me what YOU want! You're the audience, and I aim to please! If you'd rather keep your idea private, pm me here, or on GaiaOnline: Wonnykins. You can also e-mail me at Eryncheeta(atsign)msn(dot)com. Looking forward to the ideas you can come up with!**

**-Wonnykins**


End file.
